


Try and Stop Me

by Some_Impossible_Fairytale



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: AH/ AU, But very good at winning, Caroline is bad a flirting, F/M, Klaus is Caroline's number one stan, Love at First Sight, Meet-Cute, Mild Language, human! au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-03 01:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10956438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Impossible_Fairytale/pseuds/Some_Impossible_Fairytale
Summary: This may be Caroline’s competitive side speaking but there’s no way she’s going to lose on her morning fucking commute.Inspired by the Tumblr story: 'I've seen this guy every day for two weeks and he always beats me to the lights. This morning I was in front of him and he literally jogged to get in front of me, turned and said "I've been winning for two weeks, can't stop now. Have a good day, I'll see you tomorrow' - TOMORROW I'M WEARING RUNNING SHOES"





	1. I'm walking here!

This may be Caroline’s competitive side speaking but there’s no way she’s going to lose on her morning fucking commute.

Elena and Bonnie just don’t understand. This isn’t just some random member of the general public making a nuisance of himself. This is _war._

Every day on her way to work, Caroline sees the same faces that she always has for the past two years, since she started working for _The New York Times._ People who get on or off at the same subway stops she does, or buy coffee at the same vendor on Eighth Avenue just before she enters the lobby. There’s Louboutin Lady, who has an array of the to-die-for-shoes, the beautiful Ballet Dancer who gets off three stops before Caroline does and the Coffee Traitor, who works at Starbucks but always has a Dunkin Donuts cup.

Then there’s _him._

Up until today he’s just been another New York commuter in the great city’s rich landscape. She’s never been able to come up with a name for him because there’s no stable characteristic. Sometimes he’s on the phone or has a folder under one arm. Once she saw him with a load of Fifth Avenue bags telling his friend that he loved his sister but he’d cut up all her credit cards if it got her to leave town. So at least he’s a family man. He’s damn good looking too; toned muscles, tight blonde curls and blue eyes. He’s just a little taller than her, with long legs which are always encased in dark wash designer jeans. She’s often got tickets to New York’s Fashion Week, she knows these things.

Carrie Bradshaw eat your heart out.

But anyway. It’s the long legs that Caroline blames. It’s why he’s been in front of her every morning for the past two years and its always why Caroline’s determined to win. He joins the sea of people headed to Eighth Avenue a little ahead of her, but Caroline due to her shorter stature and trying to push past tourists walking at a glacial pace in high heels is always three steps behind him. Meaning she gets stopped by the lights and he doesn’t.

But this morning something must have disrupted him because as she’s walking along having already counted off Louboutin Lady, Ballet Dancer and Coffee Traitor, the blonde speed walker is nowhere in sight. She’d looked left and right and hadn’t been able to see him. It was only when she’d felt someone whiz past her that she’d noticed the familiar blonde curls and leather jacket beside her left elbow.

The bastard had actually ran to get in front of her. Once he was a few paces in front he’d turned and stopped. She can still remember him clear as day winking at her and saying “I’ve been winning for two years, can’t stop now Sweetheart. Have a good day, see you same time tomorrow” before jogging off again.

So. War.

As she recounts this to the girls, who are lying around the living room in various states of exhaustion, she waits for their strategic advice. Elena, who is entirely horizontal on one of the sofas, her feet resting in her elder sister’s lap is the first to speak.

“Care, I think you might be overreacting” 

Caroline glares at her in response. Honestly she doesn’t know what she was expecting. Elena was always the peacemaker ever since they were babies. She always feels bad but Kat’s nickname of ‘Saint Elena’ does make her giggle, even if she always does leap to Elena’s defence. And, in fairness, Elena has just finished her rotation for the day in the ER, so Caroline can’t expect her to be at full fighting fitness. Instead she turns to Kat, who miraculously has stopped texting for once. In the city that never sleeps, Elena’s big sister makes full use of every avenue. She sleeps with her phone, although from all the A list parties she gets invited to, and the parade of guys she’s brought home at 5am, none of them are actually sure Katherine ever does sleep.

“Is he good looking?”

Elena snorts at Katherine’s priorities and gets her toes pinched in reaction. Before the Petrova sisters can completely ruin the evening by descending into their trademark bickering, Bonnie intercedes thank God.

“I think what we’re all interested to know is, why are you reacting so strongly to what was obviously just some jackass being cocky on his way to work? If you see him tomorrow just ignore him”

Caroline looks around at the three girls who have known her for her entire life. Have gotten her through every grade at school, every break-up, her parents messy divorce, even that whole thing with Tyler last fall. She should have called Enzo, she thinks petulantly.

“ _Because_ Bonnie, the guy has never spoken to me in two years but he’s noticed me. He initiated a challenge. No strike that, the guy has been beating me at a challenge I didn’t even know I was part of. I didn’t win _Travel Journalist of the Year_ for the last three years straight by being some push over”

Caroline sits down once more, feeling her point adequately made. Taking a hearty sip of her vodka and lemonade she mentally reviews her wardrobe, mapping out an outfit she can wear that will work with her trainers and a pair of actual work shoes she can change into in the ladies restrooms at work.

****

**Enzo [8.40 am]:** _Slow and Steady Gorgeous_ _J xx_

Caroline knows Enzo’s being sarcastic but she can’t help but appreciate the text all the same. She’d called him last night to ask his opinion. Given that it was all harmless really and she wasn’t about to take up her best friend’s offer of getting her laid to relieve the evident tension she must be feeling (the asshole was lucky he was in Chicago with his band so she couldn’t physically punch him) he’d been more supportive than the girls.

 **Gorgeous [8.41am]:** Already on the starting blocks coach xx

 **Gorgeous [8.42am]:** Now stop distracting me. I can see Luscious in Leather now xx

 **Enzo [8.43am]:** Luscious in Leather?! Are you sure you don’t want to shag this guy?! Xx

 **Gorgeous [8.44am]:** ENZO I WILL NOT LOSE BECAUSE OF YOUR BRITISHISMS

 **Gorgeous [8.44am]:** XX

Tucking her phone back into her bag, Caroline picks up the pace, jogging along the two blocks it normally takes her after the subway to spot Blonde and British. Sure enough, she sees him swanning along at his regular pace. He’s just about to hit the street lights so Caroline puts a spurt of speed on and dashes past him. For a minute she thinks it’s a wasted effort beyond her own satisfaction (which is important but it isn’t enough. She needs this guy to know he’s been beaten) and that he hasn’t seen her.

That is until Caroline hears a roar of laughter down the street and the sound of rapid footfalls coming closer.

“Wait! Wait love!” Caroline turns – the runner’s cardinal sin – and spots her intended victim dashing after her. There are several commuters staring at them in mild interest over the outburst from the typical quiet shuffling of a morning. As much as she’s enjoying proving him wrong, she does hope she hasn’t started something she’ll have to continue doing for the foreseeable future. Hell please say she doesn’t have to jog to work every morning from now on. Elena must never know or there’ll be no living with her after this.

The guy practically blurs past her she stops so abruptly. Ducking his head with an embarrassed smile, he wheels round and trots back over until they’re standing face to face.

Mistake.

If Caroline thought he was good looking from a distance he’s delectable up close. _You could cut yourself on those cheekbones_ Kat notes in her head.

And here she is; the picture of determination all red cheeks and hair a mess with the humidity. _Fuck, fuck, this is what I fucking get for being a competitive little shit_

“I’m Klaus. And what may I ask is the name of my conqueror?”

“Caroline. Nice to make your acquaintance” she sticks out her hand, direct to a fault, pasting on her best Miss Mystic smile.

Klaus returns the smile, in a small and secretive manner, looking absurdly pleased by the morning’s events. Oh well. At least he has a sense of humour.

“The pleasure is all mine” and – no wonder Brits have such the reputation, the smooth fucker takes her hand and actually turns it over in order to bring her knuckles to his mouth.

Lord have mercy.

“You don’t like losing do you Caroline?”

“I like winning, if that’s what you mean” she retorts and shit when did she get so bad at flirting that she had to fling back every question in the guy’s face?!

Hadn’t she just asked for mercy?!

Klaus throws his head back and laughs and Caroline feels a press on her hand. A quick look down confirms that he’s still got a hold of her, both of his large, artistic hands (not going there, Caroline, so not going there this early in the morning) wrapped around hers.

“Oh. Caroline. What’ve I got to do to get your number?”

Caroline grins, a genuine one this time as the zinger comes to rest on her tongue.

“Make me” and with a quick squeeze of Klaus’ hand, Caroline swans off before she can think this through too deeply (any longer staring into those blue eyes and she’ll be late for work) tossing a wink over her shoulder as she lets the crowds of New York swallow her whole.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.

Despite the eventful nature of the morning, Caroline soon forgets all about Klaus as she hits her work stride. She doesn’t even get a chance to think about this morning, or plot any decent course of action for tomorrow until lunchtime. Even then, its only a secret smile remembering his dimples and the twinkle of his eyes (genuinely and Caroline didn’t even know that was biologically possible) that elicits a warmth pulsing through her heart. Apart from that Caroline is literally run off her feet. The paper is changing hands and normally that wouldn’t be too much of a problem, Caroline just packs her suitcase, goes where she’s told (or occasionally where she can harangue her editor Alaric into letting her go) and enjoys the ride. However, in between final checks for her next trip which is about cramming in Paris, Rome and Tokyo into a month for ultimate romance and moving a few commas around so Andy would get off her back with the proof reading of her last piece on stay-cationing in the Big Apple she hasn’t had time to worry about it. The French, Italian and Japanese location hopping was in two weeks and when she’d told her friends she’d also felt compelled to instruct Katherine to heartily fuck off when the other girl had pointed out that Caroline had been single for at least a year so it won’t exactly be romantic. She’d mentioned this to Alaric and he’d given her an extra ticket to take a person of her choice, snap a few selfies and make the romantic bit up. Kat had of course immediately offered to come as Caroline’s girlfriend. Which had given Caroline the pleasure of informing the bitchier Petrova sibling (she’s grown to love Katherine over the years, bitchiness included) sweetly that it was very kind but also unnecessary. Then she’d jumped on Enzo and strong-armed him into going with her instead. It gave her a fake boyfriend for her article and got his groupies off _his_ back for a while too. It’s not like they weren’t shit out of luck anyway, given that Enzo’s completely gone on Gia, but Caroline knows Gia won’t mind because she’s in Europe carving out her own reputation as a violinist and doesn’t want to just be known as ‘Enzo St. John’s girlfriend’.

Bonus: Alaric couldn’t really complain either as the notion of _The New York Times_ star travel journalist dating the lead guitarist of _The Augustines_ was bound to boost sales.

See? Everybody wins.

Except according to Andy, who really ought to transfer departments from travel to investigative journalism because the woman could put Sherlock Holmes out of business, the new owners mean business. Literally. Rather than some bored tycoon who just wants to collect businesses like squares on a Monopoly board, _Original Investments_ , whoever the fuck they are, are taking a very much hands on approach. Which is why Caroline is now scheduled for a meeting, with Alaric of course and the CEO of _Original Investments_ for 10am tomorrow morning.

This is not good.

Enzo, God love him, is promising over text that they’ll go for a drink the day after tomorrow when the band flies home to the city after their tour concludes. Caroline gladly accepts, with gratuitous use of heart emojis because of how her exhausted best friend is putting her first. She’s also grateful that Gia doesn’t come back for another week, because once she does, none of them will see the musical lovers for at least 48 hours.

Banging into Alaric’s office, Caroline’s pleased to see her long suffering, easy going editor close his laptop and put down his coffee cup. They’ve worked together for several years, Alaric seeing something in her writing, her persistence, that love of wherever she is bleeds through in her articles that he takes her need for control in his stride. “Morning Caroline. I take it you’ve heard about the meeting? I was just coming to tell you.”

“Bullshit. We both know you were going to tell me when I walked through the door tomorrow morning so I couldn’t do anything about it till it was too late Ric”

Ric looks at her appraisingly, probably thinking about how long they’ve known each other before he laughs. It’s a low, rich chuckle, that reminds her of her high school history teacher, cynicism and bourbon. Nodding his head in a concession, Ric asks what she’d like to know, promising her he’ll tell her as much as he knows. Good because otherwise she was going to call Meredith, his girlfriend, who works at the same hospital as Elena and tell on him. When she was a little girl, Caroline had always liked the part in movies when the hero says they have a contact, so it’s not surprising that she enjoys networking.

Ric leans back and gestures for her to sit “All they’ll tell me is that we haven’t had anybody like _Original Investments_ here before. They’re ruthless, Caroline. We’re not the only department feeling the pinch. Apparently, financially speaking, we’re the ones most likely to experience the cut –“

Caroline’s just about to jump out of her seat, outrage trapped behind her teeth, ready to find and  gut these ignorant bastards – or reinsert their spines - while telling them that the reason the paper still sells so well in this age of social media and ping updates _is because of her._ She could even call Tyler, the governor’s son and see how far that gets her. He might be an undependable asshole, but they dated, he owes her this. Or rather, she’ll make him owe her this.

What? She has people everywhere, sue her.

“-because you travel so extensively, but apparently they’re impressed by your writing and wanted to meet you to discuss your work ethic. Its- sit the fuck down Caroline – preliminary.”

Caroline doesn’t sit down and it’s something of an overreaction when she storms out of the office but she really didn’t need this right when she’s got a deadline and right before her next excursion, hanging over her. Explaining how people can get the best for their hard earned dollars is hard enough without having to justify herself to her employers as well. Caroline is renowned for her impeccable taste, anybody who questions that and still claims to be a fan of her work is as big a jackass as her ex-boyfriend. She dropped her self doubt in high school when she stopped comparing herself to Elena and she’d like to leave it there. Instead she spends the rest of the day barricaded in her office – it’s a bit difficult given that the front wall is glass, facing into the main floor - blasting _Les Miserables,_ editing, texting Enzo and researching everything she can find on _Original Investments._

She’s so distracted from her recon that she completely forgets about Klaus and their one-upmanship until Bonnie asks from the sofa and _House_ reruns when she drops her keys in the bowl at the door. Bonnie’s housesitting…well, being completely honest she’s housesitting Caroline because with Enzo in Chicago and Gia in Europe, Caroline didn’t fancy the idea of being in the massive apartment all on her lonesome.

“How did it go?...Tall, dark and jerk face?”

Humming to indicate that she’d heard Bonnie speak but understood none of it, Bonnie repeats the question. “Oh. Well I got his attention,” she says with a small smirk, preening “His name’s Klaus and he wants my number so as it turns out some men _do_ like a challenge thank fuck”

Bonnie laughs and pats the sofa but Caroline shakes her head insisting she retrieve her laptop from her room and continue her recon on _Original Investments._

“Recon? What’re you _Black Ops?_ You’ve probably got their social security numbers by now, sit down, watch House save the world one idiotic patient at a time and chill with me okay? The whole idea of me coming and spending time with you while the others are on tour was to _spend time with me_ , yes?”

***

The next day, Caroline strides off the subway resplendent in ankle boots, skinny jeans, sheer white tank under her cute navy blazer with her Friends of the ABC rosette pinned to the lapel, files tucked in her tote.

Once a theatre kid, always a theatre kid.

She hits the lights, the cross walk and keeps on going, wondering when that golden head is going to swan into view. She might give Klaus her number, invite him for drinks with the others before she and Enzo leave. And get his last name of course. Full background check is needed first. _Original Investments,_ Klaus and then…the world. Or her name isn’t Caroline Thoroughness Forbes. Well, actually its Caroline Elizabeth but the point still stands! Today is a day of business and Caroline intends to honour that.

Time to go to the mattresses.

(Okay so she and Bonnie may have switched to _You’ve Got Mail_ after the _House_ marathon ended but Tom Hanks made a sound argument)

Soon, the paper’s building hove in sight. She’d seen all the other regulars except Klaus. They were exactly where they’d parted ways yesterday and he’s nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’s sick or maybe yesterday, Klaus was being polite. If it was any other morning, she’d be tempted to wait a bit, see if she can spot him in the crowd, but this morning she’s got fish to fry and a battle plan to impart to Alaric and Andy. Just as she’s about to turn and head into the building, there’s a blaring of a horn. This in itself is not unusual, they are after all in the middle of New York, but this is particularly, loud, right in her ear, amid swearing from drivers and pedestrians alike. It’s a cab pulled right up to the curb causing the problem, its door is flung open, nearly hitting some tourists and out steps – **Klaus.**

He’s grinning like a madman,  ear to ear but closed mouthed, like he’s trying to tamp down on his glee, totally the pleased schoolboy. He’d evidently kept tabs on her as the driver was driving down the street and has caused havoc in order to pull over and not chase her into the building. On the one hand, the competitive part of Caroline that recognises style, effort and rising the challenge, the joy of meeting a worthy opponent is applauding. The fact that he’s shelling out a significant amount of dollar bills (although whether that’s just the tip for probably breaking several traffic laws) just to impress her. Another part of her, which is also the competitive side but also the self esteem side is just that little bit fucked off. For a start, she hasn’t got time for this in an unfortunate series of events, she needs to get on with planning for this disaster of a meeting. Secondly, how the ever loving fuck is she supposed to beat that?!

“YOU TOOK A TAXI?! Seriously?!” she shouts over the outrage of the unsettled tourists. Klaus strides up to her, still smiling and shrugs, hands in his pockets. Caroline didn’t think it were possible but she might have finally met someone as wholly committed to winning as she is. _Fuck. Klaus might just turn out to mean trouble after all._

Caroline looks from the receding cab to Klaus’ expectant face and back again, mouth ever so slightly open as she tries to process this. She has no idea where he lives or anything like that but taking a taxi cab in rush hour traffic right in the heart of Manhattan for however many blocks can’t have been cheap. So he’s solvent, good looking and sympathetic to her competitiveness.

 _Fuck me. **Seriously**_ the lusty side of brain that’s tired of depending on her vibrator and recognises a good thing when she sees it is gearing up and – _no, bad Caroline._ Today is meant to be about fucking shit up not thinking about getting fucked.

“There’s such a thing as taking things too far y’know” she giggles, even as she debates taxi routes and other methods by which she can beat taking a taxi cab.

“We call him Kol” Klaus remarks, snorting to himself at this private joke and Caroline wonders who Kol is. “He’s my brother. One of them anyway” Klaus adds by way of explanation and Caroline smiles at this snippet of information. That’s when she remembers one day seeing him with a school bag for one of those posh academies on the Upper East Side, berating someone called Rebekah on the other end and she wonders how old Kol is. A sister and more than one brother. Lucky swine.

“Hardly. They’re a pain in my arse” Klaus laughs, then laughs harder at Caroline’s little blush as she realises she’d been pondering out loud. “ So,” and here there’s a definite shift in the mood, in the tension. The easy banter’s gone, those liminal little moments that every day is filled with after small talk, where the flow of conversation ceases before a new topic is broached. “I know we know practically nothing about each other but I actually have a meeting at the _Times_  today and I was wondering if you’d be free to have coffee with me in the lobby round 11.30ish?”

It’s a very blunt, open offer and Klaus for the most part seems like an upfront kind of guy. Complex sure, he always seems to be dashing about when she sees him, one day with a school bag for a younger brother, the next shopping bags from Fifth Avenue in a town car, the next an easel and portfolio case but there’s something remarkably honest in his eyes. Something…hopeful.

“I promise I’m not a serial killer” he laughs awkwardly, then seems to realise that probably wasn’t the best enticement he could offer.  Caroline weighs her options; true they don’t know each other and agreeing to a date from a guy literally off the street would be the height of stupidity. On the other hand, it’s coffee in a public place, with security guards who Caroline takes brownies and flapjacks regularly. So if anything does happen, or worse still Klaus becomes a stalker, he only knows where she works and everyone knows where she works.

“Shame I rather like those” Caroline jokes just as badly, smiling more genuinely “I’ll bump into you then sure” she smiles further and the moment breaks, both of them heading into the building together. Once Caroline hits her floor in the elevator, that’s the last she sees of him.

 


End file.
